archives: Politics
War Doesn’t Take a Holiday
I hate to be a Debbie Downer on Christmas Day, but I woke up this morning thinking about people who can’t spend the holiday with their loved o [...]
Bush in the World: 8 Years in Review
You probably don’t need me to tell you that President Bush has less than a month left in office. But it just feels so good to say it! Before [...]
Last Call For Injustice
A US pre-trial hearing for a Canadian child soldier (sorry, make that child “enemy combatant”) who’s been held in Guantanamo for si [...]
Guantanamo Bay to Close? Gates Says Pentagon Working on Plan
According to a Spanish language article in the newspaper, El Pais, the Pentagon has announced that it has (finally) begun to develop a proposal for [...]
Olbermann: Is George Bush Aiming to Re-Write History?
Olbermann responds to reports that the White House is circulating “talking points” in an attempt to guide the public judgment on the histo [...]
Cuba-U.S. Relations Set to Normalize?
Travelers who have visited Cuba tend to describe the island as a time capsule or a freeze frame 1950s-era photo. In some ways, that’s true. [...]
Zimbabwe: Kenya Calls It Like It Is
Photo by dearbarbie (Creative Commons) Yup, it’s Zimbabwe Day again here at Pulse. A few months back, I noted that Botswana’s government [...]
Take Me Out To Citi-Taxpayer Field…?
Sports events can be a great way to connect with local culture when you travel. And now, they can be a great way to learn about recession politics, [...]
Best Places to Celebrate the Obama Inauguration
Word on the street is that hotels in Washington, D.C. are already sold out for Inauguration Week. President-Elect Barack Obama is scheduled to be s [...]
Could a Travel Boycott Be Headed Utah’s Way?
Quick follow-up to yesterday’s post about the Proposition 8 protests in California and across the States this weekend: Meg Massie over at Gadli [...]
Where’s the Love? A Blogger at the Prop 8 Protests
Ed. Note: Matador author Robyn Johnson attended one of this past weekend’s massive protests, in San Francisco. Here’s her take on the scen [...]
Still Waiting for Change: Five of the World’s Worst Leaders
Feature photo by T U R K A I R O. Photo above by racoles. It mustn’t be forgotten amongst the euphoria of Obama’s win that there is still [...]
5 Best Election Night Tweets
Amidst a group of bloggers writing live from NPR’s headquarters, up above the streets of Washington, D.C., I was glued to Twitter. There’ [...]
6 Reasons Why McCain’s Concession Speech Was the Best of His Campaign
It couldn’t have been easy. The man who has served his country since he was 17 conceded the presidency as soon as the writing on the wall was [...]
OH and PA go to Obama = Nail in the Coffin
CNN hasn’t called it. MSNBC hasn’t called it. FOX News hasn’t called it. NPR hasn’t called it. We may be jumping the gun, [...]
Letter from South Carolina
The first e-mail I read when I fired up the laptops at NPR was from my friend Ami, who lives in my hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina. She shared [...]
Matador’s Blogging Live from NPR HQ in DC!
I’m currently blogging live from NPR HQ in Washington, D.C., along with 20 other bloggers from around the country. I’ll be posting here on [...]
No We Can’t: Etiquette for an Obama Presidency
I know, I know. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are still hours of nail-biting waiting to come. But, in the possible (probable?) even [...]
Election 2008: Who Are You Watching Tonight?
Photo by stricklin_family (Creative Commons) There’s more televised election coverage airing tonight than you can shake a stick at - but not a [...]
6 Things to Do While You’re Waiting to Vote
Political analysts and forecasters expect a record turnout in tomorrow’s US election. The wait to vote could be several hours long. Ward off [...]
Election Day Things to Do List
Whether you’re a US citizen or not, the outcome of tomorrow’s presidential election promises to be significant for all of us. Beyond jus [...]
God n’ Guns: Obama, McCain Speak to the Mythical “Main Street” America
Feature photo by SFAntti. Photo above by capitan-patata. “Main Street America” is nothing more than a useful talking point for the politi [...]
Greetings from Beautiful Obama! (PS: Wish You Were Here)
With all the election chatter about Joe the Plumber and Wasilla, Alaska, I guess the news out of Obama, Japan got lost amidst the white noise. Yes, [...]
The 3 Funniest Campaign Ads I’ve Seen So Far
As the seemingly endless U.S. election campaign draws to a close, it’s nice to know that at least some activists and backroom types have held on [...]
4 Reasons Why We Need Obama’s Foreign Policy
The countdown to Election Day in the US is seriously on now. Though it’s been hard for me to understand who could be on the fence in this ele [...]
Obama Supporter Shot In London
A man in London is reporting that he was shot three times while attempting to flee a threatening gunman — and all because he was wearing a Bara [...]
Vote for the Environment, Canada!
A friend recently pointed me to this fascinating online electoral project: VoteForEnvironment.ca. The site’s basic premise is that, regardless [...]
Rapper Common On Hip Hop’s Political Influence, Respecting Differences, And Why He Supports Barack Obama
Like its artists, America’s musicians, actors and other celebrities have been getting involved in this campaign to an unprecedented degree. Hip [...]
Churches Endorse John McCain, Face Wrath of IRS
Several dozen American pastors put their wallets on the line this weekend, breaking a decades-old ban on political endorsements from the pulpit. In a [...]
Artists For Obama: Signs of Change From Across America
Artists are making a statement across America: Barack Obama in 08! [...]
Palin Passport Mystery Solved!
Shortly after candidate John McCain announced that his running mate would be someone most Americans had never heard of, I wrote a brief article abou [...]
(Un)polished Palin
Some folks say Matador’s gotten a little too political. Why have we devoted time and space to the presidential race when we’re a travel b [...]
The Economist Lets The World Vote in the US Presidential Election!
As we’ve noted before here on Pulse, the world is watching the ongoing American election campaign very closely. And now, all of us interested o [...]
50 Bloggers of the World Weigh In: McCain or Obama?
A recent opinion poll conducted by the BBC indicated that “people in 22 countries would prefer Obama as president by a margin of 4 to 1 over R [...]
Matt Damon: Palin As President Is Like “A Really Bad Disney Movie”
How do you like them apples, Mrs. Palin? [...]
10 Reasons We Should Say No to the 700 Billion-Dollar Bailout
As the markets today plummet amid the country’s hesitation to bail out the bankers, institutions, and leaders that have utterly failed us, we [...]
Matador Endorses Barack Obama For President
In our official endorsement of Barack Obama, we define the values of our community, and explain how Barack Obama’s policies align with our visi [...]
Alaska Loves Sarah Palin… Right?
At the largest rally in Alaskan history, voters speak out against Palin. [...]
The Onion Hacks Obama’s Gmail Account…
…and the results? Hilarious. To see the full-size screenshot, plus “Obama’s” trash folder, click over to the Onion, truly Am [...]
Si Se Puede: Yes you can…sell your art!
Are you a starving artist desperate to sell your work? So is Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, apparently. Or was. The Associated Press reported o [...]
Are You Jewish?: Get ready for an Anti-Obama Push Poll
Photo by Rocketace In a growing number of states, including key swing states of New Jersey and Florida, Jewish voters are being targeted with telepho [...]
Do You Want To Vote For Change? Make Sure To Get Registered First!
This election is too important for anyone to stay at home. Get registered, and vote! [...]
“History is ours, and people make history”: Some thoughts on 9/11
September 11, 2001. It’s one of those dates that is marked indelibly in the calendar of most people’s memories. You remember where you [...]
11 Things You Didn’t Know About Che Guevara
Sure, Che’s handsome face emblazons t-shirts, belt buckles, bookbags, and tattooed arms and chests the world over, but what do you REALLY know [...]
Ms. Palin, Can We See Your Passport, Please?
Sure, the Matador editors have been a little bit obsessed with Sarah Palin over the past couple of days. We’ve poked fun at Palin’s patri [...]
5 Reasons To Visit Alaska… 1 Reason Not To?
Alaska's been on my must-see list for a long time - but there's just one thing throwing me off... [...]
Going All Out For Obeezy!
Some of Barack Obama's supporters take things further than others... [...]
Anti-Bush Graffiti: 25 Countries, Six Continents
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/arts_culture/Anti_Bush_Graffiti_From_25_Countries_Six_Continents_PICS'; Barack Obama recently made headlines with his ei [...]
100 Days & Counting…
With just 100 days left in what’s easily been the most exciting presidential race in my lifetime, voters are beginning to ask: Who will McCain [...]
Americans Afraid of Travel?: Response to Obama Trip Suggests “Yes”
Barack Obama has had a busy week, jetting through the Middle East and Europe to take the pulse of the world’s attitude towards America and to [...]
There Will Be… Guns?
Of all the travel destinations that are uniquely American, perhaps none are more cherished than the system of national parks. From Assateague Natio [...]
“Effective Charity”: Begging for Problems?
Every traveler has encountered the dilemma: To give or not to give when confronted by someone asking for money in the street or on public transport? [...]
Ingrid Betancourt: LIBRE!!
I couldn’t have been happier to come home last night to the news from journalist and Colombia-based Matador member Richard McColl that Ingrid Be [...]
Dollars & Nonsense: The Cost of War
### Iraq War Cost That’s how much war costs. Outraged? You’ll be even more so when you read the BBC’s allegations that $23 billion [...]
Gitmo, PA
A few months back, I applied for a press pass to visit the U.S. military’s Guantanamo Bay outpost in Cuba. Though the application has yet to be [...]
The (Fine) Art of War
Regardless of your feelings about The War, you can’t help but be affected by a series of fine arts photographs taken by enlisted combat photogr [...]
Barack Obama for President… of the World?
If you think that the race for the presidency has captivated Americans’ interest more than any other election in recent memory, you might be s [...]
